‘PFHODOIOVDÜOÍ' OLHEOOPSO S E R E T "STAFF GUATEMALÏ cxry T0: IFHEDIÁTE DIRECTOR.P' FOR: [:::::]CHIEF/LAP SUEJECT: EYES ONLY - STATION INVESTIGATION OF HUFAN PIGHTS VIOLATIOHS IN GUATEMALA, PEF: NONE.; TEXT:_ I 1. OVER THE PAST YEAP, STATION HAS BEEN FECEIVING INCREASINGIY bISTURaING PEPORTS or ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS INVOLVIPG TBE[:í::::::]SEPVICE,'THE GUATEMALAN ARMY OR OTHER‘COHPONENTS os THE GUATEHALAH sacunrry SERVICES. ws HAVE TAKEN ALL SUCH REPORTS SEPIOUSLY AND HAVE ATTEFPTED TO A 0P counss, OBTAIN INFÓPHATION TO CONFIRH OR DISPROVE THEM. THIS HAS NOT BEEN EASY: THERE IS SELDOH SÜFFICIENT EVIDENCE.T0 NARRANT INTELLICENCE DISSEFINATION. IN THE PAST PEN WEEFS REPORTS RECEIVED HAVE CREATED WHAT_HE RELIEVE ARE REASONABLE GROUNDS POP EELIEVING THAT CEPTAIP SPECIFIC ACCUSATIONS AND OTHEP, MORE GENEPAL ACCUSATIONS HAY BE TRUE.I WE RAVE ARPIVED AT THIS CONCLUSION HOT JUST FFOF PEPORTING ON INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTS, BUT ALSO FROM SUPPORTING REPORTING TPAT HAS PPOVIDED THE 'ATHOSPHEPICS’ SURFOUNDING'THE CASES. EE STPESS THAT IN ALL OF THESE CASES FURTHER IÑVESTIGATION IS WAFPANTED¿ BUT WE PFESENT THE FOLLOWING INFORHAION IN DETAIL TO PPOVIDE TO EOS THE CONTENT OF SOME RECENT REVELATIONS. HEEDLESS T0 SAY. THE STATION HAS MADE THE FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF ALL OF THESE INCIDENTE A TOP PPIOPITY. FOLLCHING IS PECEPT INFOPFATIÓN #2Z” APPROVED FOR RELEASE ' DATE: SEP 2003 í 3 a3 27 . E/óc?_ 5 HECEIVED OH INDIVIDUAL HUHAH RIGHTS CASES:r A. HUPDEF or HICHÁ . ([nsvrnsll. 0.5. CITIzsuf THIS IS THE APPARENT SECUENCE OF EVENTS. THE COHHANDEF OK HILITARY ZONE 23, COLOHEL ¡(GARCIAIÏ CATALAN, REPORTED THE LOSS OF A GALIL FIFLE BY.HIS-TROOPS [A SOLDIER DESERTED AND TOOK BIS RIFLE WITH HIM]. GARCIA HAD LOST OTHER: WEAPONS IN THE PAST, A SERIOUO OFFENSE AND A BLACA HARK IN BIS MILITARY RECORD. WS SPECULATE THAT GARCIA CATALAN PPOBABLY f PEPORTED THIS TO THE GENERAL STAFF AND THE SERVICE HOULD PROBABLY HAVE THEN ORDERED THAT THE WEAPON BE RECOVEFED, A HISSION.THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY TFÉ LOCAL 3-2 OFFICE, UNDEP GAFCIA'S DIPECT COHHAND. CAPTAIN HUGO [IcoqurpAsll. F%FF TPE HZ 23 5-2 “¿#V . OFFICE, WAS SENT TO QUESTION DEVINE. I CONTRERAS BAD DEVINE APPESTED AND TOOK HIM T0 THE KAIBIL BASE AT POPTUP, PETEN DEPAPTFENT; —n DEVINE WAS TIED TO A CÉAIR AND SUFFOCATED WITH A PONCHO IN AN ATTEHPT TO HARE HIM TAL! ABOUT THE HISSING RIPLE. CONTRERAS CONFIRHED THAT DEVINE HAD THE RIFLE, BUT IT HAS NOT RECOVERED [RFI]. AT SOFÉ POINT, DEVINE DIED OP HAS KILLED BY CONTREPAS. HIS NECK HAS CUT WITH A HACHETE [PERHAPS TO BID? MARFS ON THE BECK FROM THE STPANGULATION OR SUFFOCATION] AND -_ THE BODY HAS DUHPED ON A POAD NEAR_HIS HOUSE.) i- THIS INDICATBS.THAT THE i ¡_ tNTIRE COHFAND STRÜCTUPE OF THE MILITAFY ZONE WHEPE THE KILLING E TOO? PLACE WAS CONTROLLED BY MEN KNOWN TO BE CAPABLE OF HURDÉP .UFDER-TPE FOST CASUAL PRETEXT. THAT CONTRERAS WAS ALSO A VIOLENT, UNPPEDICTABLE HAN KNOWN POR BEATIÑG SOLDIEPS WITH STICKS. PEPOPTED THAT [PNG] SPECIALIST ltALPAnoll. ONE OP TRE ENLISTED HEN ¿acusan IN THE DEVINE ' XILLING, IN FACT KILLED DEVINE. M WE SEE N0 CONFLIFT IN THIS VÉRSION OF THE STOÉY. CONSIDERIHG THE LOW REGARD IN WHICH ENLISTED MEN ARE HELD IN GUATEMALA, IF CONTREPAS WAS IN CCHHAND WHEN DEVIHE WAS ÏILLED. WOULD FAVE ¿ g v ‘ ;A.u ng'wAa Tn: AILLER zvsu Ir sonssony BLSE ISUCH As ALPARDT - a ‘ ¡ O. 'DEALT THE DEATH 9L( BSLIEVES THAT THE. vansuá ¡As agan ORDERED BY HINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL LUIS EÑRIOUE'ÍÍHENDOZAÏÏ 5 . T0 PROTECT THE ARMY AND THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS IHVOLVFD. IS OF THE SAME OPINION AND STATES THAT MENDOZA ALONE IS HOLDING M ' , UP THE'INVESTIGATION OF THE DEVINE FILLIÑG. IN HIS OPINION, THOSÉ INVOLVED HOULD HÁVE BEEN RETIPED GENERAL [[BOLAN0511. THE FOPHER DEFENSB HINISTEP, nao HAY HAVE GIVEH TSE OFDER TO INVESTIGATE THE THEFT OF THE GALIL FIÉLE, COLOHEL GARCIA CATALAN, AND CAPTAIN CONTRERAS. GARCIA CATALAN AND MENDOZA ARE BOTH PFOTEGES OF FORHER HINISTBP OF DEFENSE (¡GBAHAJOIJ. ACCORDIÑG Tc 'GRAHAJO RETAINS sraouc INFLUENCD TN'THE ARMY AND CONTINUES To INFLUENCÉ THE PLACEMENT or KEY OFFTCERS. HE SAID THAT IT IS stsrsDE THAT THE DESIRE To PROTÉCT GRAHAJO'S MEN (CAREFDLLY PLACED IN ¡rr PSoTIOFS BEFORE HE LEFT OFFICE; IN ANTICIPATION 0? HIS EXPECTED I 1995 PRESIDENTIAL PID) IS THE DDIVING FORCE BEHIND THE ABSOLUTE REFUSAL TO CÓOPERATE ON THE DEVINE CASE.F B.’ KIDNAPPING OF DIANA [{0RTIZ]]: DIANA (¡ORTIzll IS A U.s. CITIZEN AND ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN nao CLAIHS TO HAVE BEEN I FIDNAPPED‘AND FELEASFD FOPE THAN A YEAP AGO BY GUATEPALAP ______;______4___L:j--II-I-II--II-III-IÍIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIII'l'lll'll'llllillllllll ,¿,¡ ‘_ ¿chun¿r¡ gcuLES. UNTIL now, STATION (AND THE BHBASSY) BAS BÉEN . y INCLINED To REGARD(' R STORY HITH SUSPICION auf Is; 0P THE TACTICS COHHONLY ussb ay ¿EPTIST PROPAGANDÏSTS ÏN GUATEMALA [FALSE KIDNAPPINGS, ETCal AND THE úúcouvrncrné CONTENT of flan STORY.A ü FOREVER, THAT SHE NAS IN ACT E awuju/ KIDNA?PED AS_SHE CLAIHEE, PROBABLY BY THE 5-2 OFFICE OP HILITANY ZONE 302, WITH HEADQUARTERS IN CHIHALTENANGO, \ CHIHALTENANGO DEPARTHENT [SHE NAS KIDNAPPED IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, HHICH IS IN HZ 302]. STATION HUST STRESS THAT HAS SIHPLY SAID THAT HE KNONS SHE WAS KIDNAPPED, BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION SURROUNDING THE KIDNAPPING. IN VIEW OF THE EXTREME SENSITIVITY OF THIS CASE, THIS IS A CRUCIAL POINT. AS HQS HAY-BE ANAFE, THE CASE HAS RECEIVED EXTENSIVE NEWS COVERAGE IN TFE 0.8., INCLUDING A STORY ON THE 20/20 NEWS SHOP. -IN THE OPINION OF SHE WAS PROBABLY NOT —-—/_—\ ' PAPED OP OTBEFWISE HISTREATED AS SHE CLAIHED, HONEVER. SAID THAT WOMEN APE NOT NORMALLY SEXUALLY HOLBSTED AND IF TBERÉ RAD EEEN ANY PHYSICAL HISTREATHENT BY HER CAPTORS SHE NOULE HAVE BEEN'KILLED RATHER THANIRELEASED; SAID THAT, ACCORDING TO WHAT BE KNOWS OF SUCH AFFAIRS, NOHEN NEO ARE NOT RELEASED ARE USUALLT STABBED AND LETT AT A PUBLIC BUS TERMINAL' A'SO THEY WILD BE FOUND AND THE DEATH REPORTED AS AN ORDINARY CRIMINAL INCIDENT. THOSS RELEASED UNHARHED ARÉ SOHETIHES. DRUGGÉD AND THEN RELEASED.' NHÉN THEY COHE TO THEY ARE DISOPIENTED AND OFTEN UNABDE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED To THEM. THIS HAT_HETL‘HAVE BEEN THE CAse_wITa ORTIZ. ADDED THAT ORTIZ NAS IN CONTACT NITH LEFTIST GUEPPILLAS, WHICH LED TO HE? ARREST. WE REPEAT: ¡A5 UNABLE To crvs FURTHER'DETAILS, BUT WAS CLEAR IN STATING THAT OPTIZ HAD atan KIDNAPPED., c.4 FRANK [IVARcAsl], SANDINISTA HILITARY INTELLIGENCB OFFICEP. VARGAS WAS SHOT TO DEATH ON THE STREET IN ZONE 10, GUATEFALA CITY IN LATE 1989. ACCOPDING TC EE NAS SHOT BY I _ r 7 7 _ ha - -r—_________gïc ¡ILHÁCUNIÏI/ ‘ 1 l \HAD no bas DETAILS on , 'THE KILLING. STATION SUSPECTS THAT VARGAS TURNED Down AN l \ / RECRÜITHENT PITCH OR IGNORED A DEHAHD THAT HE CEASE OPERATIONS IN GUATEMALA CITY.r n. HYRNA [{HACKII CHANC: REPORTS THAT THE SERVICE_ASSASSINATED THE POLICE OFFICER ASSIGNED T0 INVESTIGATE A HUMBER OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASES¡ INCLUDING THE HURDER OP HYRNA IIIFACKI].CHANG, A HEHBER OF THE GUATEHALAN GUERRILLA POLITICAL -.___—__,_ STRUCTURE. ALTHOUGH DID NOT SAY THAT THE ‘SERVICE XILLED HACK} SAID THAT HE EELIEVES PRO! THE-Á NATURE OF THE KILLING AND THE ATTEHPTS TO SHIFT THE BLAHE TO THE SERVICE [THE PHIHE"SUSPECT', WHO CANNOT BE LOCATED, IS A FORHER MEMBER] THAT THE SERVICE HAY HELL HAVE KILLED HER. TO BALANCE THIS, REPORTED THAT A CRIHINAL KILLED THE POLICE OFEICER BECAUSE OF A CORRUPTION CASE THE SLAIN POLICEHAN WAS INYOLVED IN. >THE SERVICE PRODUCED A TAPE WHICH_HAS A CONFESSION 0?.THE ALLEGED KILLER, A PETTÏ CRIHINAL. REPORTS THAT THE SERVICE INDUCED A CRIMINAL T0 TAKE THE FALL FOR THE KILLING, WITH A PROHISE OP LATER RELEASE. THIS IS POSSIBLE, AND IT IS POSSIBLE_THAT THE ACCUSED CRIMINAL OR OTHERS HERE ASKED T0 CARRY OUT THE KILLING BY THE SERVICE. IT IS- ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE HERE NOT IHVOLVED._ A . r ___*_“‘_‘“__ - E. ALLEGED KILLING OF PIFTEEN CRIHIHALS REPORTS THAT IN EARLY OCTOBER 1991.50HE ITEMS, INCLUDING A RADIO, HERE STOLEN FROM AN VEHICLE THAT ' wAs ON A SURVEILLANCE HISSION IN GUATEMALA CITY. [:::] PLACED AHOTHER CAR WITH 'BAIT' IN THE SAHE_AREA SOHE -TIHE AFTER THE INCIDENT AND EVENTUALLY HERE ABLE T0 CAPTURE 15 HEHBERS OF A CRIMINAL GANG OPERATING IN THE AREA. THEY WERE LOCKED IN THE BACK OF A VAN. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT FOOD CH WATER, THREE 0P THE CRIHINALS HERE TAFEH OUT AND SHCT,.THEIP —____— ' N. ‘ “¿un ¿ugniuxzu «¿TH-HUTES'PASTED T0 THEIR rORBHEADS. THESE , HERE THEM DUHPED I( . PUBLIC-AREA. NOTICES HACIÏAPPEARED IN THE NEWSPAPER ASXING FOR INFORMATION ON THEIR ÏHEREABOUTS. THE OTHER THELVE HERE SHOT AND BURIED. I 2. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THERE ARE INDICATIONS OP HÜHAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST HABITÜAL CRIHIHALS, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS AND TERRORISTS, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CLEAR IHFORHATION ON OTHER CASES. IT SHOULD BE REHEHBERBD THAT} ALHOST ANY HURDER IN GUATBHALA IS LIKELY TO BE ATTRIBUTED T0 THE SERVICE. IN FACT, THERE IS SO HUCH CRIMINAL ACTIVITY HERE (NOT TÓ HENTÏON POLITICAL ACTIVITY 0P A VIOLENT NATUPE) THAT IT IS USUALLY IHPOSSIBLE TO DETERHIHE WHO IS REALLY PESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL ACT. AH EXCELLÉRT - ‘ ' fl' 6/10“) ¿JP-n.“ EXAFPLE 0P THIS WOULD BE THE KÏLLING 0P ELEVÉN PERSONS Bïífiflfi; H . amm ' ITFGUATEHALAN NAVA. IF THE NAVAL OFFICERS IN CHARGE HAB NOT CAPRIÉD OUT THE KILLINCS IN SÜCH A CLUHSY FASHION, IT IS O PROBABLE THAT NOBODY WOULD HAVE EVER SUSPECTED THE HAVY 0P CARRYING OUT THE KILLINGS. THEY HIGHT HELL HAVE BEE“ PALSELY ATTRIBUTED T07 IN ANOTHER INSTANCB, HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF HAVINC TRACKED_DOWH THE GANG THAT HAPED AND ROBBED A GROUP OP GERHAH TOURISTS. IT HAS EVEN' BEE“ RUHOREO THAT THEY HECBTVED DIRECT ORDERS FROM THE _ I 3 PRESIDENT OF GUATEHALA TO DO THIS. OF OOURSE, THERE IS N0 PROOF WHATSOEVER THAT THIS HAPPENED. T0 FURTHER ILLUSTFATS THE. POINT, THE AILLING OP FRANK VARGAS, THE SANDINISTA, HAS BEEH ATTRIBUTED TO THE SANDINISTAS, LOCAL CONTRA SUPPORTBRS, LOCAL CRIMINALS (VARGAS WAS REPORTED TO BE INVOLVED IN DIRECT KINDS or ILLEGAL ACTIVITY) AND, 0? coonss, - E REGAPDLESS OF STATEHENT. WE CANNOT HULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE IS “PONG AND THAT WAS HERELY BOASTING AND TAFING CREDIT POP A CRIFE COHHITTED BY —<_— V v ANOTHER FERSON. REGARDING THE SUPPORTING 'ATHOSPHERICS*¡ ¡AVE ALL NOW REPORTED on ÁESÁTTBRN 0? HUFAN RIGHTS VIOLÁTIONS BY TÉE SERVICE‘AHD THB GUATEMALAN ARMY IR GENERAL. THE EARLIER HEHTIOHED KILLING OF ELEVEN PERSON; BY A CUATEHALAH ¿AVY COHHANDEP A FEW HEEKS AGD, A HATTER Ó? PUBLIC RECORD, IS HOW PUT INTO PERSPECTIVB. THÉ GENERAL OPINION EXPRESSED BY ALL OF THE! IS THAT THE ÉXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF CERTAIN CATEGOPIES OF PERSONS IS ALHOST ROUTIÑE. IT IS APPAPENTLY CONSIDÉRED JUSTIFIED T0 KILL .GUÉRFILLAS WHO REFUSE T0 COOPERATE HITH THE ARMYl COHHON CPIFINALS AND NARCOTICS TRAFFICKEPSÁ ,REPORTS 0P THIS KIND ARE ONE TÉING, HOWBVEP¡_ PROOF OR SOLID EVIDENCE_IS ANOTHER.P' 3. C05 COHHENTS: 4. ÉILEá ‘Nouz. DATE: 10/15/91 RSL: COORDINATORS: ee " _—7 .- ' \L:> 4‘25 “97 w 56-A- _ :_ L .